AG's office tells restaurant to stop raising money for others

AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A restaurant in Augusta known for it's fried seafood and charitable giving has now been told by the state it can no longer raise money for others.

The Red Barn has been holding raffles, concerts, and charity dinners for the last 4 years, raising $640,000 for around a hundred different school groups, charities, and individuals going through a tough time.

But owner, Laura Benedict, says that last week she received a letter from the Attorney General's office saying that because the restaurant is not a non-profit, they either needed to stop, or apply for a license to raise money.

That letter has since sparked outrage from fans of The Red Barn on their Facebook page, who say the restaurant does a lot of good and the state should stay out of it.

Benedict says she understands the AG's needs to protect people from scams, but these rules could prevent people from helping one another.

NEWS CENTER has attempted to contact the AG's office for comment, but has not received a response.

In the meantime, Benedict says she has spoken to Attorney General Janet Mills and is working on a plan to create a non-profit called Red Barn Cares Foundation, so they can continue to raise money for the community.